A View From An Intern

My name is Kate. Last summer I worked with Rhonda as an intern for Bride Ideas. I was able to help her with two different weddings during that time. Each wedding had their own stress points from personalities to working with various vendors. Overall, it was definitely an eye-opening experience because I learned that wedding planning isn't all about cake tasting, dress-fittings, flowers and invitations. There is much more involved, especially if you have your own business.

As a graduating senior from high school, we are required to do a project in May where we work as an intern. I decided to go back to Bride Ideas because I am still really interested in wedding planning and wanted to learn even more about the business. This time around, I worked on two separate celebrations. These celebrations were really rewarding because I was involved with the actual setting up of the venues. Not only did I get to see Rhonda drafting up the timelines in the office, I actually got to see how useful they were when it came to the actual wedding day. I can't imagine not having a planner at a wedding because it is really important to make sure that everything is on schedule so that the wedding runs smoothly.

I also got to see the marketing side of the business which I learned is a huge part of it. No matter how good of a wedding planner you are, it is important to keep finding new ways to get your name out there. Because of the new wave of technology there are so many different wedding websites to put your company's name on that it can be overwhelming.

I have learned a lot from this experience, mainly that wedding planning is anything but glamorous. However, even though it is not glamorous, it is very satisfying when you see the happiness of the newlyweds when they see their carefully decorated venue and their gratefulness for their stress-free day. I have not yet decided if wedding planning is the thing for me, but I have learned that it will be very important to take marketing in college! I want to thank Rhonda for letting me work with her again, I learned so much!

Cupcake Disaster ... AVERTED!

I wanted to share with you the recent tale of two cupcakes. Well, actually, two cupcake deliveries!


My clients' wedding on May 9th was a very intimate and beautiful celebration. Twenty-five people gathered to celebrate with Mireya and Brian well at the Hyatt Regency in Jersey City, right on the Hudson River with gorgeous views of Manhattan. The day was running so smoothly, we knew there had to be a snag somewhere...and that's when the cupcakes arrived!

Mireya and Brian had planned for their guests to have dinner and dessert in the Hyatt's private dining room, with windows on all sides overlooking NYC. The dessert centerpiece was to be cupcakes with special red icing roses on their tops on a lovely 3-tiered stand. The cupcakes were to be on display all night - like a wedding cake (in fact, there were 2 cupcakes in the shape of traditional wedding cakes, for the bride and groom).

The bride and groom were taking photos when I got a call from the Hyatt's Banquet Manager, Sandra, to come to the kitchen right away. The cupcakes had arrived -- all "smooshed". They hadn't been properly packed by the bakery and all, except for the two for Mireya and Brian, were unsalvagable! I sent them back and requested a new batch be sent right away. Now, this was 4 pm and the dinner started at 5. I started preparing for the worst, and as Plan B we called around and found a back-up bakery who would be able to have 23 cupcakes ready for us, sans the icing roses. So, we waited, called, and prayed that the cupcakes from the original bakery would arrive on time and in tact!


Luckily, right at 5 pm, the second batch of cupcakes arrived and were totally fine. While the excellent staff at the Hyatt put them out on display, I kept the guests (and the bride and groom!) distracted during the now-extended cocktail hour. At 5:30, just 1/2 hour late, the doors to the dining room opened, the cupcakes were beautifully displayed, and no one was the wiser! Cupcake disaster averted!

Until next time, happy planning...

Summer intern

I want to introduce you all to Kate, who is going to be Bride Ideas intern over this month. She is a senior in high school, on her way to my alma mater, Bucknell University in the fall. Last summer, she interned with Bride Ideas during the month of July, and she just couldn't help herself - she's back for more!

As wedding season is getting into swing, Kate will have 2 weddings this month to help out with - and also help us prepare for a wedding next month. I'm excited to help Kate explore the wedding industry, to see if this is where she wants to be! I'll ask Kate if she's interested in writing a blog post or two about her experiences!!

Until next time, happy planning...

Ways to cut costs but achieve amazing results

Last month, I was interviewed for a feature article in NJ View Magazine about how couples are cutting back on their budgets but not sacrificing any important perks for their wedding celebrations. I was honored to be only 1 of 3 planners in all of New Jersey consulted for this piece!

Here's a link to the article: http://njviewmagazine.com/article_bridal.htm - enjoy!!

Until next time, happy planning...

Happy Earth Day!

Today is Earth Day - a time to reflect and do your part to save our planet. What does that mean for wedding planners? Planning a green wedding, of course!

Here are some "green ideas":

-Instead of flowers, use locally grown produce such as pumpkins, apples, oranges, etc. for decorations

-Use recycled paper for your invitations.

-Go paperless for your invitations - or at least your response cards!

-Choose your honeymoon wisely - think eco-tourism!

-Select your wedding rings made from recycled precious metals and stones.

-Choose a vintage wedding dress.

What ideas do you have to share? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, happy planning...

Planning Your Dream Wedding In This Economy

He finally popped the question, and you said yes! That was in December - now you're in full planning mode. Except the economy has contracted, perhaps one of you has lost your job or is in danger of doing so, and you're trying to figure out how you're going to pay for your dream wedding.

Does this scenario sound familiar? I bet it does to many of you, unfortunately. That's just the reality of the current economy.

My first piece of advice is not to finance your entire wedding on credit cards. Your wedding is the first day of the marriage that will last your lifetime - and who wants to start off being in debt?

My next piece of advice is not to cut back so drastically that you don't even recognize any part of your dream wedding. If you always wanted a live band during your reception, believe it or not there are excellent bands out there that don't charge an arm and a leg! In my market, I know bands that charge in excess of $20,000 and those that charge less than a quarter of that price tag and have an equally packed dance floor. Does your vision always include chair covers? There are other rental options in the marketplace, such as "chair caps" and "chair backs" that will give you much of the same effect at a fraction of the cost. And the best way to control your budget is, as it always has been, to cut your guest list.

My final piece of advice on this topic is to seek out professional assistance. A truly professional wedding consultant will be able to help you reframe your dream wedding so that you achieve the same look and feel, but at a budget that you're comfortable with. We know the industry, know the vendors, and can truly make your day more than you even imagined!

Until next time, happy planning...

Bridal Show in Puerto Rico

Hi all,

Sorry I've been MIA for a bit - while no excuse, I was away in Puerto Rico and had the pleasure of attending a bridal show over there! The Association of Bridal Consultants had a booth, and I got to know Sari and John Skalnik of Tropical Weddings (http://www.tropicalweddingspr.com/) - they are so much fun! If you are thinking of getting married on Puerto Rico, you MUST contact them!!

Sari, John and me (right-to-left) outside the Puerto Rico Convention Center.

I want to share some photos I took from the bridal show. Beautiful designs were on full display -I hope you get some inspiration!!

Until next time, happy planning...